Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Three-day National Thematic Workshop on Localization of  Sustainable Development Goals in Panchayats begins in Srinagar tomorrow
Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Giriraj Singh to inaugurates workshop in presence of Lt. Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha and Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil
Meri Panchayat Mobile App, Operating Guidelines of NCBF, Service-level Benchmarks, Self-Assessments and Model Contract to be released
Ministry of Panchayat Raj, Government of India, in close collaboration with Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, is organizing the National Workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals in Gram Panchayats through Adopting Thematic Approaches on Theme 8: Panchayat with Good Governance during 21-23 August 2023 in Srinagar J&K. The Union Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Giriraj Singh will inaugurate the three-day Workshop tomorrow, in the august presence of Lt. Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha and Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil.
The National Workshop will be inaugurated in the presence of Shri Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Shri Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary, MoPR, Smt. Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner & Secretary, RD&PR Deptt. Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Vikas Anand, Joint Secretary, MoPR, Dr. Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Adviser, MoPR and other distinguished dignitaries and local public representatives. A host of Senior Officers of the Government of India and State Governments, representatives of United Nations / International agencies and around 1000 elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions from across the country are also expected to grace the occasion.
‘Meri Panchayat Mobile app’ developed by Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Meri Panchayat Mobile App, Operating Guidelines of NCBF, Service-level Benchmarks, Self-Assessments and Model Contract will be released during the inaugural session of the National Workshop.
Elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions from across the country and across the Jammu and Kashmir will attend the National Workshop. Panchayats that have taken initiatives in thematic areas have been invited to participate in the Workshop.
Participants will be consisting of elected representatives & functionaries of Panchayats, key stakeholders, domain experts and agencies doing exemplary work in the 5 Ts of Good Governance: Teamwork, Timeline, Transparency, Technology and Transformation. Representatives of all States/ UTs from State Department of Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Planning Department, NIRD&PR, SIRD&PRs, Panchayati Raj Training Institutes, will also participate in the workshop. Elected Representatives & Functionaries of selected Gram Panchayats from different States/ UTs will showcase their experiences in relevant thematic area through short video film presentation of 3 to 4 minutes during different Technical Sessions/ Panel Discussions.
The main objective of the workshop will be exhibiting the best strategies, approaches, convergent actions and innovative models in context to capacity building & training; best practices; monitoring framework, incentivization and reflection of themes of SDGs into Gram Panchayat Development Plan .
Background:
Sustainable Development Goals adopted by United Nations came into effect from January 1, 2016. Ministry of Panchayat Raj, Government of India has adopted thematic approach to SDGs – It is approach to ensure ‘local action’ for achieving ‘global plan’. The approach aims to localise SDGs in rural areas through PRIs, especially Gram Panchayats by clubbing 17 ‘Goals’ into ‘9 Themes’. Appropriate policy decisions and revisions have followed resulting into revamping of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan  and Gram Panchayat Development Plan  Guidelines which smoothens the process of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals  in Gram Panchayats.
In pursuance to the agenda of localising Sustainable Development Goals in Panchayats, Ministry of Panchayat Raj, Government of India is organising a series of Thematic Workshops/ Conferences on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals  based on the nine themes to be saturated by the Panchayati Raj Institutions , at different locations in close collaboration with State/ UT Departments of Panchayati Raj, State Institutes of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj , line Ministries/ Departments and other stakeholders. The effective and impactful implementation of LSDGs can occur only when the concept and its process are properly understood, imbibed and implemented by the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions  in order to ensure no one is left behind.
Vision of LSDGs Theme 8 – Good governance is an essential ingredient for socio-economic development of the country. It centers around the responsibility of government and governing bodies to meet the needs of the masses as opposed to select groups in society - “The way those with power use that power.
Good Governance has direct correlation to service delivery and progress 5T pillars framework of Teamwork Technology, Timeline, Transparency and Transformation are essential for Good Governance. It centres around the responsibility of Gram Panchayats to serve the people by delivering all citizen services in a timely efficient and transparent manner.
A Village with Good Governance must necessarily have very vibrant, strong, and active Gram Sabha wherein there is large popular participation, informed discussion and Inclusive decision making it is envisaged that Gram Panchayat act as an information facilitation centre including proactive disclosure of all information and has in place an effective grievance redressed mechanism.